German word

ehe

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈeːə/

Meaning

  • conjunctionbefore

Example

Sag mir Bescheid, ehe du gehst.

Let me know before you leave.

Illustration for ehe (before)

More examples

Er verabschiedete sich, ehe er ging.

He said goodbye before he left.

Core concept

One event stands at the front of a short sequence, followed by another event only after it has passed.

Similar words

bevor: Introduces a clause stating that one event occurs before another.
als: Introduces a clause about a single event at a particular time in the past.
sobald: Introduces a clause stating that one event occurs as soon as another does.

Definition in German

Subjunktion, die zeitliche Vorzeitigkeit anzeigt und einen Nebensatz einleitet.

Word origin

Ehe is an inherited Germanic word whose recorded history leads from Old High German ē through Middle High German to the modern form.

Usage tips

  • Lowercase ehe means 'before', whereas capitalized Ehe is the separate noun meaning 'marriage'.

Opposites

Word lists with this word